Ninth-Inning Balk Gives Redbirds 2-1 Loss

NASHVILLE, Tenn. - The Memphis Redbirds dropped their second game in a row to the cross-state rival Nashville Sounds, 2-1, on a rainy Friday night at Greer Stadium in the second game of a four-game series.

With two outs and Sean Halton on third base, Cole Garner skied a fly ball center field for the third and final out. After the catch was made, home plate umpire Kellen Levy indicated that Redbirds reliever Jorge Rondon did not come to a stop during his delivery on the final pitch, constituting a balk and allowing Halton to score the winning run.

Memphis has now lost their last three straight road games and scored two runs or less in four of its last five games overall.

The Redbirds went 0-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded a season-high 12 runners.

Kolten Wong and Oscar Taveras each had two hits for the Redbirds.

Memphis scored their only run after the first two batters into the game. Adron Chambers opened the contest with a single and scored on the next play as Wong hit a sacrifice bunt. Nashville starter Tyler Thornburg fielded the bunt and fired the ball at the feet of the first baseman and into the Redbirds bullpen to allow Chambers to score.

Nick Additon retired nine of the first 10 in the game before yielding his first hit to Jeff Bianchi in the fourth inning. Three batters with runners on second and third base, Caleb Gindl looped a game-tying, broken-bat RBI single to left field, which is picked up and fired home by Jamie Romak to throw out Halton at the plate.

Both starting pitchers earned no-decisions on the evening. Additon surrendered one run on three hits while matching a season-high six strike outs. Nashville starting pitcher and top Brewers prospect Tyler Thornburg allowed one unearned run on five hits and a pair of walks with six strikeouts.

Barret Browning worked around a hit and a walk in one-plus innings. Keith Butler stranded two inherited runners on six pitches for a scoreless frame. Rondon (1-1) was charged with the loss in his 1 2/3 innings.

Kyle Heckathorn (1-0) pitched a scoreless ninth for the win.

The Tennessee rivals continue their series at 6:35 p.m. at Greer Stadium. Left-hander John Gast (2-0, 0.00) takes the mound for Memphis against Nashville righty Mike Fiers (0-0, 0.00).